LEXINGTON, Ky. (6/7/13) – Keith Hayes took one step closer to solidifying his place as one of the top hurdlers in Kentucky track and field history on Thursday at Hayward Field.

Hayes ran the fifth fastest time of the 110-meter hurdles NCAA Semifinal Heats, crossing the finish line in 13.32 seconds with a +3.0 meters per second tailwind to advance to the NCAA Championship Final. He broke two-time Olympian Mikel Thomas’ all-conditions 100m hurdles school-record (13.57w).

“The cool thing about Keith Hayes is the more the tension rises the more he focuses,” head coach Edrick Floreal said. “With some people the more the tension rises, the more they lose sight of what’s important. His warm up was spectacular. I think he enjoys being the underdog and having to do something great.

“A lot of people try to shy away from it. If you really think about it if you’ve never been here and expect to do well it’s difficult. He just likes it, he really likes it. Hopefully he can get one more on Saturday and we will be okay.”

Hayes will race in the NCAA 110m hurdles final at 6:16 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 8.

Three other Wildcats competed on Thursday, but none reached the final of their events.

Kayla Parker tied the all-conditions school-record in the 100-meter hurdles as she crossed the finish line in 13.16 with a +2.8 wind at her back. Shonna Johnson ran the same time in Gainesville during the 1998 season.

“We have not performed up to our expectations as a team thus far,” Floreal said. “The school records and Keith Hayes’ advancement to the final were a much needed boost for our team. We will regroup and prepare for a strong finish on Friday and Saturday.”

Matt Hillenbrand finished his 1,500m semifinal with a 14th place time of 3:44.48 just .18 seconds of his collegiate best performance. Hillenbrand did not advance to the final, meaning he concluded a junior season in which he won the SEC mile championship, was runner up in the conference 1,500m and advanced to the NCAA Championship for the first time in his career.

Freshman Rebecca Famurewa fouled on all three of her attempts in the discus throw and did not make the final, concluding a season that saw her earn the SEC Discus Bronze Medal and pick up Freshman All-SEC honors in the weight throw.

Two Wildcats will compete on Friday as returning Discus All-American Andrew Evans will throw in the first flight of his signature event at 7 p.m. ET.

Southeastern Conference 5,000-meter Champion Chelsea Oswald will race in the NCAA Final of that event at 9:15 p.m. ET.